The trade keeps Cleveland atop the Eastern Conference, retaining its status as the favorite. Thomas, along with LeBron James and Kevin Love, give the Cavaliers a different “big three,” but both James and Thomas could leave during the 2018 offseason.

This most likely means the Cavaliers are bracing for one last title run, in hopes that another NBA championship would be enough to convince James against leaving Cleveland for a second time. Getting Thomas and Crowder for a player that they were virtually forced to trade is a great move for the organization.

In Boston, the Celtics gave up valuable assets in the trade, but infusing youth into a transitioning roster was key. Irving is 25 and joins recently acquired, 27-year-old Gordon Hayward to give the Celtics a formidable backcourt featuring two young stars.

“His age and experience is a great fit for us,” Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge told reporters in a conference call late Tuesday. “His ability to score in a variety of ways are elite. He’s shown that the last three years in the NBA Finals, and at a young age of 25 it’s very unique and very special what he’s been able to accomplish against the best competition in the world.”

Irving is arguably the NBA’s best clutch scorer. His most clutch moment is his game-winning three pointer in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, defeating the mighty Golden State Warriors.

The 2017 NBA champion Warriors are still the class of the NBA. This trade doesn’t change that. But it puts the Celtics closer for the next few seasons as they try to improve with young talent and wooing one more star, such as New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis.

The results of the trade will be on display on NBA’s opening night — Boston at Cleveland on Oct. 17.

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The stories here were reported, written and produced by Northwestern University graduate journalism students in the Washington program of the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications . Most also were published or broadcast by media organizations served by the school's unique news distribution plan. We specialize in enterprise reporting, multimedia and online journalism, as well as on accountability, working to uncover misbehavior by people in power.